ACCIDENT blackspots in Preston and South Ribble are to get 26 new speed cameras to help reduce casualties.

The announcement came yesterday (Wednesday) at the launch of the Lancashire Road Safety Partnership (LRSP) -- a multi-agency group of police, councils, magistrates, and health authorities committed to reducing casualties on the region's roads.

The LRSP has a £10m budget over three years and aims to cut 1,380 deaths and injuries in the next four years.

LRSP organisers insist they want to change drivers' behaviour to stop speeding rather than using cameras as a measure to collect money in fines. They say the decision to install cameras was taken after positive responses about them from a survey of 1,184 Lancashire residents.

Linda Sanderson, communication manager of the group, said: "Last year in Lancashire over 9,000 people were injured in road crashes. The figure is unacceptable.

"This project aims to save 40 lives, 580 serious injury accidents, and 760 slight injury accidents over the next three years."

The sites in Preston are: the A59 at Guild Way, the A6 at London Road, five on A5085 at Blackpool Road, two at B6243 at Ribbleton Avenue, the C329 at Fishergate Hill, three on the A6 at Garstang Road, the A6 at Ringway, two on the A59 at New Hall Lane, the A6 at Blackpool Road, the B6243 at Ribbleton Lane, the A6 at North Road, and the C334 at St George's Road.

The South Ribble sites are: the A59 at Liverpool Road, Penwortham, the A582 at Penwortham Way, the B5248 at Grove Street, Leyland, the B5254 at Watkin Lane, Preston, the A59 at the Longton Bypass, Hutton, and the B5256 at Turpin Green Lane, Leyland.